Riders with heavy back packs in Indy...

I've had a lot of business in Indianapolis this week and have driven up there nearly every day.

I'm surprised to see several riders, on busy roads, riding with big back packs on.

I'm one who doesn't even put a powerbar in my jersey pockets because it's uncomfortable (maybe due to the "love handles" under the jersey:rolleyes: ), so I have a couple of questions:

• is it advisable to ride with a big pack?
• are they commuters with their clothes in the pack?
• are any of you comfortable with big packs on your back?

Whether it's comfortable or not depends a lot on the weight, and on your sitting position. I wear a very light, narrow backpack on almost all commutes, also on my road bike. Some days I'll take a larger pack so I can switch some of my clothes at work, but it's still a narrow bike-friendly pack, and then I'm usually on my mtb. Most of the time I prefer a light pack to having the extra weight of a rear rack, makes my bike feel all funny ;-)

Going climbing I'll have a heavy pack - and swearing at it all the way... I also lug groceries home on my back, but that's just up a 300 m long hill. Sitting upright and going slow you can carry a pretty heavy pack without too much trouble.

I ride my bike everywhere and sometimes that means loading up with a big backpack. Especially as a student I was carrying quite a load some days. It would be the books I needed for class that day, clothes for the gym for after school, food for lunch and snacks and whatever else I might need. I've never seen the backpack as a problem when cycling, but it might be if you have a road bike where you lean far forward.

My two daughters use backpacks when they ride. Students are used to wearing backpacks as a way of life. My daughters are all grown up now, but they still use backpacks for everyday living. Plus, they can't afford to buy elaborate racks and panniers for their bikes. They don't work out solutions to things they don't perceive of as problems. :) Then again- they don't go on really long bike rides- no 40 milers for them- their bikes are for getting around town, errands, etc. When they do just go for a fun spin, they change to *little* backpacks! ;)

I carry my clothing, lunch, cellphone, wallet, papers, etc in my backpack while i commute. It is a medium sized pack, but it weighs less than 10 pounds. I don't mind it at all. It's no heavier than the camelbak that i use on long recreational rides.

I used a big backpack on my first bike commute. I didn't like how it raised my center of gravity; made me feel unsteady and unbalanced. I suppose it's something you can get used to.

We're doing a 70 mile training ride this weekend, and I was thinking about taking a fannypack or light backpack to carry a couple of sandwiches in for a lunch stop (rawther than payin' $5 for a sandwich at the convenience store - i so cheap.) I was worrying that it might cause or exacerbate current back issues.

It's good to read that other teers use packs... maybe I'll just put them in the fannypack, though... that should be big enough.

It's always good to keep your center of balance low. Also, you don't want weight that can shift. So, when using a backpack (fannypack, etc) think low, light, and close to the body. A few snacks, etc shouldn't be a big deal.

i have a big ol' heavy nasty backpack for my commute. it has to carry my lunch, my work clothes, my 1/2 gallon bottle of tea, the newspaper and whatever book i'm reading that day. it weighs more than the bike. it hurts my lower back. and my shoulders. and my upper back. but it's the price i pay to commute.

i tried a seat-post rack and i hated the change in the bike handling.

it's only 6 miles to work so i just bear it. at no other time will i put anything on my back, if i need extra water i take my camelbak fanny pak. for a ride longer than an hour i just cant stand any weight on my back. but for the commute and daily errands and minor grocery shopping it's way handy. the trips to the library are a challenge, books are heavy!!

I commute with a pack. I haven't found it makes that much of a difference, honestly, I suppose if it was off-balance on my back or filled with awkward bulky things that poke me, maybe...

But then I'm pretty much used to doing lots of things with a pack. A well-adjusted one won't really even feel like it's there, I mean it will add weight, but it won't throw your balance off that much, especially if you're just doing normal road riding.

It also helps to have a pack with hip and/or chest straps so that you can keep the pack close to your core and keep from feeling like it's pulling you off the bike.

I think if someone is a timid rider who is unsure of their balance to begin with on a road bike, putting a pack into the mix is a recipe for disaster. If you're comfortable on your bike, it shouldn't make a big difference.

K.

I don't ride with a pack on my recreational rides - don't like to carry a bunch of stuff for a fun ride. If I can't fit everything I need into my pockets in my jersey, I don't carry it. The only exception to that is when I mountain bike and need to be prepared for anything on the mountain, then I carry a larger camelback (the mule). It is heavy cause it has a large bladder, but I will then carry more clothes, food, etc. on the other compartments and attached by bungie cord thing.

I wear a back pack to commute, although it is not large. The most it has in it are underwear, socks, a pair of shoes and clothing for work; with my tire changing equipment, hair brush and a small wallet. It probably doesn't weigh as much as my mountain bike camelback fully loaded!

I don't find that it overbalances me one way or another. It is kind of hot just like a camelback on your back, but no big deal. I'm not usually riding hard since I'm commuting.

spoke

My partner rides with a back pack if he has too take clothes to where he is going... he usually gets a sore back.
I very rarely ride with anything on my back, cause it takes so much pleasure from the ride.

When I start commuting regularly (which will be when I am no longer a school taxi service) I am going to get panniers on a steel frame bike set up in the same configuration as my road race bikes.

I guess we both ride in racing position, so that may affect the discomfort levels, but I also feel unbalanced with a load on my back...